While recycling is beginning to play a bigger role worldwide, there are different approaches to how recyclables are getting collected.

In general, Europe has stricter laws regarding recycling than other countries. For example, private households and businesses are required to abide by mandatory recycling rules. Pick-up is offered on-site, at the place of residence or business.

Recycling is not an option in Europe, rather mandatory. Households and businesses are provided bins to separate recyclables before putting them curbside. If trash is not picked up on-site, it's mandatory that it be taken to specific collection bins/facilities.

The U.S. has a different approach, making the practice of collecting recyclables less strict. In general, recycling is not mandatory in the U.S. However, there are several states that have implemented programs to tighten recycling requirements. For example, California, Michigan, Maine and New York put in place programs that tighten recycle requirements.

These programs offer incentives based on two criteria: quotas met and the following of restrictions placed on landfills, what can and can not be dumped in them. Recyclables in the U.S. are collected through different methods, utilizing several types of material recovery facilities (MRF).

Types of MRFs:

In the U.S., recycling emphasis lies in technology. In Europe it falls on the sorting- out process, located at the place of pick-up. So what are the technologies that are getting utilized in MRFs? The three most common technologies, listed below:

• Screens for separating paper and cardboard from containers
• Scanners for identifying plastics
• Magnets for sorting steel and aluminum cans

Resource and full article http://beginwiththebin.org/innovation/material-recovery-facilities

The video below gives a great overview on how these MRFs work.

In the end, the result is the same, trash is separated, and can be recycled. The question is, are both systems equally successful or is a combination of the two a more promising solution? What is your experience, and what methods are you seeing used to sort out recyclables?